Balliol Facade Trip

BALLIOL FACADE TRIP

APRIL 2017

We are working on new student residential buildings for Balliol College, Oxford. As part of the detailed design development we have been working with a façade sub-contractor based in Belgium, and recently made a visit to their manufacturing factories. The itinerary for the day – a design workshop, a factory tour and a review of samples. Lots of coffee after an early Eurostar, and a good lunch.

There had been several similar design workshops before; where gathered around the meeting table, sketches were scattered as we questioned the architectural intent and the construction details equally. Brick samples sat in front of us, books piled up with precedents opened, past project drawings and models pulled out for reference. How to compose the language to create a calm and unified façade across the site. The engineers, the architects, the craftsmen who will build the façade.

These sorts of discussion are an aspect of everyday practice, and incredibly valuable part of the process – marrying the conversations of design aspiration with the actual making of. The bricks and mortar that see the architecture delivered from the paper to the physical form.

TAPESTRY BUILDING FILM

JANUARY 2015

Tim Hunt from Argent gives an update on the progress being made on site at the Tapestry (T1) Building at Kings Cross. The building is roughly half way through the construction programme and will soon start to be clad in beautifully ornate terracotta coloured concrete panels. The video shows the impressive views across the city as well as the relationship of the building to nearby landmarks including Regent’s Canal and Gas Holder Number 9. Tim also gives an update on the wider area which is an exciting and rapidly regenerating part of London.

Tapestry is Niall McLaughlin Architects’ largest project to date, the team completed their role as Concept Architect for the project and now have continued involvement as a part of the Client Monitoring Team.